The story of China past and present Author:James Martin Miller Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. THE GROWTH OF A GREAT EMPIRE. Constant Wars with Neighboring Tribes—A New Penal Code Issued—Revival of Learning —The Origin of "Punch and Judy"—... more »The Emperor Theodosius Sends Embassadors— Division of the Empire—Arrival of the Nestorian Missionaries—Aid Against Enemies Asked from the Tartars—Death of the Great General, Gheugiz Kahn—An Army Nearly a Million Strong—Founding of the Ming Dynasty—War with Japan—Fall of the Ming Dynasty. FOR four hundred years following the accession of Lew Pang to the throne the stately house of Han ruled over China, This period was accidentally divided into two equal portions by the Christian era and by a temporary usurpation of the throne, which for some time threatened the stability of the dynasty in the direct line of succession. During the whole period, the empire, if not enjoying uninterrupted tranquillity either at home or abroad, was nevertheless making vast strides towards a more settled state of prosperity and civilization. There were, however, constant wars with the Tartar tribes of the north, against which the great wall proved to be a wholly ineffectual barrier. Also, with the various Turkic tribes on the west; especially with the Huns, who once succeeded in shutting up the founder of the dynasty in one of his own cities, from which he only escaped by a stratagem, to be mentioned in another connection. Later on, an attempt was made to win over a Hun chieftain, who happened to be visiting the court, by bestowing on him a distinguished Chinese lady to share with him the honor and dignity of his Khanate; and even now traces of Hunnish influence are discernible in several of the recognized surnames of the Chinese. The wild tribes of modern Yunnan were reduced to subjection, and their territory may be considered as added to ...« less